When it comes to video games, sometimes even just completing the game can be an accomplishment on its own. But there are many players who take their gaming to the next level, via speedrunning. This is the process of making it to the end of the game in as little time as possible. In some titles, glitches or other shortcuts can help make speedrunning more viable.
Many creators have tried their hand at speedrunning their favorite games and there are different ways to approach or categorize speedruns. Some players attempt to get as much done as possible in their playthrough. While others are content with simply reaching the end of the game. Of course, the faster the speedrun, the more impressive the outcome.
10 Cuphead (Any %)
You may be familiar with, and harbor some ill will towards, Cuphead. This game is not incredibly long, but it is ridiculously difficult. To say that you even completed it is something to be proud of. But some who have made it to the end of the game take the challenge a step further.
Finishing Cuphead usually takes about ten hours but ClipBoardGuy was able to defeat the game in a measly twenty-eight minutes and ten seconds. The sheer difficulty of this task is what makes this particular speedrun so impressive.
9 Mirror's Edge (Any %)
Among one of the most popular parkour-style games, Mirror's Edge has taken the hearts of fans since 2008. This fast-paced action game does a good job of motivating you to move quickly throughout the game, with its total length being about six hours. However, avid players who like to complete every mission will be faced with eleven-and-a-half hours worth of gameplay.
However, player Voetiem as able to knock out the game in less than half-an-hour. Coming in hot at twenty-six minutes and fifty-five seconds, Voetiem takes their place as the top speedrunner for Mirror's Edge.
8 Elden Ring (Any %)
Elden Ring has not been around as long as many other popular speedrunning titles, yet gamers have been wasting no time trying to complete the game as fast as possible. In total, Elden Ring is estimated to take roughly fifty-five hours to complete.
Through a series of glitches and zips, players have found several ways to drastically reduce the length of the gameplay. Most notably, a gamer who goes by FirstTwoWeeks has been verified to have made it to the ending of the game in just under twenty minutes. The official time has been recorded at an incredibly impressive nineteen minutes and forty-nine seconds.
7 Super Meat Boy(Any %)
Super Meat Boy is another deceivingly difficult game. Many gamers are lured into a false sense of security due to the playful and cartoony design. They then quickly become acquainted with the fact that Super Meat Boy is one of the most difficult games out there!
Because of how hard (and infuriating) the gameplay is, it’s a miracle that anyone has attempted to speedrun the game at all. Despite all of this, player Matte was able to knock out the game in seventeen minutes and twenty-seven seconds.
6 Portal (Out of Bounds)
The first Portal game was released in 2007 when the first-person puzzle game made waves in the gaming community with its unique gameplay. Since then, hundreds of gamers have tried their hand at aiming for the fastest speedrun.
As of August 2022, a player who goes by CantEven took the lead after completing a speedrun of Portal in less than six minutes. The exact time of the speedrun was five minutes and fifty-three seconds. A normal playthrough of the game can take approximately ten hours.
5 Doom Eternal: The Ancient Gods Part One (Any %)
Doom is a title that you're likely to have heard of, even if you've never picked up a video game in your life. Since 1995, the popular shooter has garnered an enormous following of dedicated players. Because Doom has been on the market for nearly thirty years, gamers have had time to look through every nook and cranny of it.
One of the installments of the Doom series, Doom Eternal: The Ancient Gods, has the record for the shortest speedrun in the series. Therealpaisano managed to complete the game in four minutes and forty-three seconds.
4 The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Any %)
There are few video games that exist that have as much recognition as The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. This game is such a staple in so many childhoods, that it's no surprise that many players have attempted to speedrun it.
Depending on how many side quests you go through, the full gameplay of The Ocarina of Time can take up to thirty-seven hours to complete. However, player Murph_E completed the game in an astonishing three minutes and fifty-four seconds.
3 Soul Knight (Full Game)
Speedruns are not just limited to console games. Many gamers like to try their hand at speedrunning their favorite mobile games as well.
Soul Knight is a relatively modern title that has become hugely popular among mobile gamers.
The gameplay itself is only about three hours long. Regardless, there is still a competitive community looking to achieve the most brag-worthy speedruns. So far, the top contender is gamer Phaze_in_Spaze, whose record comes in at only two minutes and fifty-two seconds.
2 Refunct (Any %)
Unlike some of the other titles in this list, Refunct is an incredibly calming first-person game. On top of that, it only takes about forty-five minutes to complete. Because of its peaceful aura and short gameplay, it’s a unique contender for people looking to speedrun.
In late December 2022, gamer TastyMeowmix placed themselves as Refunct’s top speed runner. The total time it took them to reach the end was two minutes and forty-one seconds, shaving off about forty-two minutes of gameplay.
1 Minesweeper (Beginner)
The fastest speedrun might come as a surprise to you. While Minesweeper is a staple in gaming history, it’s not in the average gamer’s top ten list. First released in 1989, Minesweeper has simple point-and-click gameplay. The challenging part of the game is being able to use strategic moves to avoid triggering a mine to go off. Because there is no story, there is no real set time that it takes to complete the game.
Despite all of this, a player by the name of SheenSimpson was able to defeat the beginner mode in just one second in November 2017.